Summary
Ever since theMy Hero Academiaanime debuted in 2016, it’s taken the world by storm. Set in a world where the majority of people possess special powers called quirks, it follows the story of a quirkless boy on a mission to become the world’s greatest hero. That’s not an easy task considering justhow powerful the world’s heroes are.
InMy Hero Academia,countless heroes have dedicated their lives to keeping people safe (and becoming rich and famous in the process). To stand out, heroes don’t just need useful quirks, they need a good press team too. One of the biggest decisions a fledgling hero has to make is choosing their pro-hero name. It’s a decision that can make or break a pro-hero career.
10Eraser Head
Weird But Effective
At first glance, Eraser Head’s name sounds pretty cheesy. It makes Shota appear like he named himself after something one might find in one of his students' pencil cases. However, lots of famous superheroes have names that sound the very opposite of intimidating.
Eraser Head’s name perfectly sums up one ofMy Hero Academia’s most selfless characters. It’s simple, no-nonsense, and straight to the point. Much like Shota himself. It’s also pretty catchy and easy to remember, two traits very important for a hero’s name. Finally, it does a great job of describing Shota’s quirk, Erasure, which temporarily “erases” quirks.
9Lady Nagant
Named After A Rifle
Lady Nagant is one ofMy Hero Academia’s fallen heroes. Once a pro-hero, she became disenchanted with the Hero Public Safety Commission and chose to become an assassin instead. After being broken out of jail, she sided with the villainous All For One and was tasked with hunting down Deku. As tends to happen, he convinced her to redeem herself.
Nagant’s quirk is easy to explain. She can transform her right arm into a powerful sniper rifle and form her hair into different types of ammunition. She’s named after the real-world rifle, the Mosin-Nagant, which will be familiar to pretty much anyone who has ever played a WW2 shooter. Adding “Lady” to her hero name adds a hint of elegance, something that she definitely possesses. Lady Nagant’s hero name sums up both her demeanor and abilities.
8Midnight
A Seductive Name For A Seductive Hero
Known as the R-Rated Hero: Midnight, Nemuri Kayama was a heroine all about image. With a tendency to dress like a dominatrix and flirt with everyone (including her students), Midnight earned her R-rated moniker.
We all know what kinds of things people tend to get up to at midnight, something Nemuri’s chosen name alludes to. It also hints at her quirk, Somnambulist, which puts people, especially men, to sleep. With her catchy hero name, it’s no wonder it was Midnight’s job at U.A. to help students pick their pro-hero names. Few other heroes were better at manipulating public opinion.
7Red Riot
Just Sounds Cool
When picking a good hero name, there are quite a few things to take into account. One of them is sounding cool. When Eirjiro Kirishima chose Red Riot as his name, he nailed that aspect. With his red hair and red-accented costume, Eirjiro’s hero name makes sure his hero brand is instantly recognizable.
The Riot part of his name also does a great job of highlighting Eirjiro’s style in combat. Able to harden himself and smash through obstacles, Red Riot is rarely subtle in a fight - he likes to cause a riot. Deep down, however, he’s quite self-conscious about his quirk. After getting into U.A., Eirjiro adopted a tough, fiery persona, which was reflected in his hero name.
6Hawks
A Hidden Meaning
The reasoning behind Keigo Takami’s hero name seems pretty obvious. His quirk, Fierce Wings, gave him a pair of red wings, which he could use as both a form of transport and a powerful weapon. Known for his graceful movements and glorious wings, it makes sense that he would name himself after a respected bird of prey, like a hawk.
However, behind his carefree, jovial exterior, Hawks is one ofMy Hero Academia’s darkest characters. Hawks is the son of a villain called the Takami Thief, and after his father was caught, Hawks and his mother became incredibly poor. As a child, Hawks worshiped heroes and was taken in and groomed by the Hero Public Safety Commission to become their secret weapon. In Japanese,takameans Hawk, showing how Hawks chose to hide his shameful past right under the public’s noses. Very appropriate for a character who would go on to work as a double agent.
5Star And Stripe
A Very American Hero
Star and Stripe was one ofMy Hero Academia’s most anticipated heroes. The management and anime were always pretty clear about how they drew inspiration from American superhero comics, so it was exciting to see how they’d represent an American hero. AsMy Hero Academia’s strongest international Hero, Star and Stripe didn’t disappoint.
Star and Stripe was big, brash, and incredibly powerful, much like the country she hailed from. She was proud to be her country’s number one hero and her name reflected that and perfectly encapsulated American bravado. Inspired by the likes of Superman, Star and Stripe was the perfect hero name for Cathleen Bate and a nice homage to the superhero genre’s American roots.
4Endeavor
Reflects His Ambition
All his life, all Endeavor wanted was to be Japan’s number one hero and surpass All Might. In doing so, he sacrificed everything, including his marriage and personal relationship with his children. Enji Todoroki chose the name Endeavor to reflect his unwavering determination to fulfill his goals.
Yet these days, there’s an argument to be made that Endeavor’s name has a new meaning.Endeavor has changed a lot since Season 1, especially after the reveal that Dabi was actually his lost son. Endeavor has realized the error of his ways and has since turned his efforts toward becoming a better hero, father, and person. Whereas once all he cared about was being number one, now he endeavors to be a true hero his children can look up to.
3All Might
Hidden Depths
All Might’s hero name can come across as somewhat boastful at first. He was obviously the most powerful hero, and calling himself All Might seems like he was belaboring the point. No wonder Endeavor had such a problem with him.
However, All Might’s name is also a reference to the true nature of his quirk, All For One. Toshinori Yagi never lost sight of the fact that, as a formerly quirkless person, he only held immense power because of the sacrifices made by his quirk’s previous owners. Toshinori carried with him the might of all his quirk’s owners, and he dedicated his life to using that might for the betterment of all.
2Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight
Pure Bakugo
Only Bakugo, arguablyMy Hero Academia’s most arrogant character, would call himself something as insane as Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight. The name is overly long, boastful, and completely unheroic-sounding. Bakugo likes to act like he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks, so he picked a hero name he knew everyone would disagree with.
Yet, much like Bakugo himself, this name is all for show. Deep down, Bakugo is deeply insecure; his arrogance is largely an act. That’s why he ultimately drops most of his hero name to become Dynamight, something much more fitting. Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight perfectly sums up Bakugo’s personality and his growth as a character.
1Deku
Not Useless Anymore
Insults only have power over us if we let them. Midoriya was first called Deku by Bakugo when they were just boys. Meant as an insult, deku means useless, and Bakugo was referring to both Midoriya’s quirklessness and apparent weakness.
Rather than letting the name upset him, Midoriya chose to embrace it. After receiving One For All, he chose the hero name Deku, turning the old insult into a symbol of his limitless determination. If a quirkless weakling can become a great hero with enough effort, so can anyone. Deku’s hero name perfectly encapsulates who he is as a person and why he was always destined to be one ofMy Hero Academia’s greatest heroes.
